Amusement apparatus



May 30, 1933.

P. S. M LAUGHLIN AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed Nov. 11, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet1 INVENTOR y 30, 1933- P. s. MGLAUGHLIAJ 1,

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed Nov. 11, 1930 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Wilma!!!ATTORNEY- WITNESS Patented May 30, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEAMUSEMENT APPARATUS Application filed November 11, 1930. Serial No.494,958.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an amusementdevice inwhich passenger seats are swingably mounted at the ends ofradially disposed beams, a mechanism being provided for drivingalternate beams in 5 a rotary path which is to the direction of rotationof the other beams.

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, in view of the accompanying draw- 0 ingsforming a part of the specification; nevertheless it is to be understoodthat the invention is not confined to the disclosure, being susceptibleof such changes and modifications which shall define no materialdeparture from the salient features of the invention as expressed in theappended claim.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved amusement apparatus;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a detail in elevation of a brake embodied in the actuatingmechanism of the amusement apparatus; s

Figure 4 is a detail in elevation of a con trol clutch embodied in theapparatus;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the invention;

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical section taken adjacent the drivinggears;

Fi ure 7 is a fragmentary plan View of the P drlvlng mechamsm for thebeams;

Figure 8 is a vertical longitudinal section of a passenger seat;

Referring to the invention in detail a plurality of longitudinallyalined vertical columns 5, attached to horizontally disposed groundengaging feet 6, is provided. The columns 5 and supporting feet 6 arebuilt from angle rails 7 connected together by truss or brace elements8.

To lend rigidity to the columns, they are braced by angularly disposedbraces 9 which are connected with the feet 6. To further brace thecolumns, guy Wires 10 are attached to the upper ends ofthe columns atopposite sides thereof, and have their lower ends, connected to theopposite ends of the feet 6, as at 12. Turn buckles 13 are interposed ineach of the guy wires to maintain the same under proper tension.

Extending from each two adjacent vertical 30 columns and supported onheads 14 attached to the upper ends thereof is a fixed horizontal shaft15, the ends of the latter being secured to the heads in any approvedmanner. Rotary passenger carrying beams 16 are journalled upon each ofthe shafts 15. These beams are identical in construction and a detaildescription of one will suffice for all. As particularly illustrated inFigure 2, the beams 16 comprises pairs of substantially parallel sidemembers 17, each of which consists of oppositely arranged angle rails 18between which transverse T- shapedin cross section bars 19 are held atspaced intervals. Flanged disks 20 are mounted for rotation on the shaft15 and are rigidly secured to the beams 18. A rectangularly shape brace21 is attached at the right angle portions to the beams 16 as shown at22. This brace 39 maybe in the form of bars joined together at theendsand when connected to the beams.

To each brace is secured a grooved wheel 23 which receives the cables 43and l l and it will be noted that each wheel has a pair of annulargrooves for the purpose. The cables are trained on grooved wheels 42 andtightener pulleys 24:. ()n alternate pulleys 24; and wheels 42 thecables are twisted in order to provide for a reverse rotation ofalternate units composed of four radiative beams 16.

Qppositely arranged passenger carrying seats 36 are carried by theopposite ends of each of the swinging beams. To pivotally suspend theseats from the beams, pairs of transversely alined stub shafts37 areheld between the angle rails 18 by U-shaped fastenings 38 passingthrough these angle rails and embracing the stub shafts. The side wallsof the seats are provided with trans- 109 versely alined openings 39which pivotally receive the shafts. Heads 40 are formed upon theopposite ends of the stub shafts to retain the latter againstlongitudinal shifting.

To continuously rotate the beams 16 a common drive mechanism is providedwhich comprises a drive shaft 41 arranged parallel to the shaft 15 andournalled in the standards 5* below these shafts. Grooved wheels 42 arefixed to the shaft 41, each of which being arranged in verticalalinement with one of the grooved wheels 23. The cable 43 is engagedwith pairs of coinciding alternate grooved wheels 42 and 23, whilecables 44 are trained on the other wheels 42 and 23 A shaft 48journalled in bearing on the standards 5 and below shaft 41 has a gear46 rigid therewith which drives a gear 47 secured to the shaft 41. Thegrooved pulleys 42 and 42 are spaced along the shaft 41 and are rigidlysecured thereto. The cables 43 and 44 are given several turns on theirrespective pulleys 42, 24 and 42 24 in order to insure positive drivingof the beams.

The grooved pulleys 24 and 24 and like- Wise the shaft 49 provide meansfor tightening the cables when desired and are therefore adjustablymounted. The shaft 49 is carried by the upper ends of swingably mountedbars from which extend rearwardly bars 71. These bars are connectedtogether by rods 72. A hook 73 is securedto each rod 72 and links 74 anda turn buckle connect each rod to a fixed point 76 on the frame workforming turnbuckle 75 in one direction the bricks will move the rod 72and likewise the pulleys and shaft 49 outwardly and thereby tighten thecables 43 and 44.

A suitable electric motor 50, having a drive pulley 51 engaged by adrive belt 52 passing around a drive cone 53 loose on the shaft 48, isprovided. A clutch member 54 adapted to frictionally engage the drivecone 53 is keyed to the shaft 48. A hand lever 55 is operativelyconnected with the clutch element 54 to render the drive shaft 48operative and inoperative.

A brake drum 56 is fixed to the shaft48. A brake shoe 57, encircling thebrake drum 56, is pivotally supported, as at 58, in upstanding brackets59. A rod 60, passing transversely through the extremities of the brakeis provided, with right and left threads 61 whereby the brake band iscontracted to engage the drum 57. An actuating handle 52 is fixed to thethreaded rod 60.

A safety bar 64 is carried by each of the seats 36 to prevent thepassengers from falling therefrom.

The operation of my device is as follows: A switch, not shown, is placedin an operative position in order to energize the motor 50 and throughthe pulley 51, the belt 52 is actuated and likewise the idler pulley 53.The amusement device is then ready to receive passengers. As soon as thepassengers are located within the seats 36, the operator will move thelever 62 to release the brake belt 57 from the drive 56 and then theclutch 54 will be thrown into operative position by the lever 55. Shaft48 is now being revolved and likewise the shaft 41 through theintermeshing gears 46 and 47 are driven.

Since the pulleys 42 and 42" are secured to the shaft 41 said pulleyswill be revolved causing the cables 43 and 44 to revolve the groovedwheels 23 and cause rotation of the beam 16. Rotation of the beams willmove the seats 36 through a circular path until the clutch 54 is thrownout and the device brought to rest by applying the brake belt 57 to thedrum 56.

Due to the fact that the cable 43 is wound over its respective pulleys42in a different manner from the winding of the cable 44 on itsrespective pulleys and the wheels 28, alternate units included in thebeams 16 and the seats 36 will have a different direction of rotationfrom the units which are driven by the grooved wheels 42 and the cable44.

It will be noted that by-this construction all ofthe seatgpass throughsubstantially the same circular path although alternate seats move inthe opposite direction. These seats, however, are substantially in thesame horizontal planes at all times during the circular path and theywill arrive at the loading platform at the same time for the dischargeof passengers and for the loading of passengers. I

-lVhile I have shown a single rod extending the length of the amusement,it will be appreciated that separate units may be employed in connectionwith each of the grooved wheels 24 in order to increase the tension onthe cables 43 or 44.

I claim:

An amusement device comprising a shaft, a plurality of units mounted forrotation on the shaft, each unit including a hub section, a plurality ofbeams secured to and radiating from the hub section, a plurality of barssecured between the beams adjacent the hub section and disposed in theform' of a rectangle, a grooved wheel connected to the bars andcooperating with said bars for rigidly holding the beams together, rodsconnected between the beams adjacent the ends of said beams and inparallel relation with the bars for aiding in reinforcing the beams anmeans for revolving the wheels.

PHILIP S. MQLAUGHLIN.

